Java Version 7 Update 25 | Simply Doesn’t Work on Many Websites

I have run across multiple websites with java controls running on multiple platforms that have trouble loading applets, running java applets, submitting forms, loading all features of Java applets, detecting printers through Java, etc. ¬¨‚ĆThey all have one thing in common and that one thing is Java Version 7 Update 25 has been installed. In all cases downgrading to Java Version 6 Update 45 things load quickly and smoothly. ¬¨‚ĆThe problem is that finding the old version of Java can be a bit tricky and for Mac’s requires a few steps.

To downgrade to a more stable and quicker version of Java on a PC:

Uninstall Java.  Then Download either the 64 bit or 32 bit version of Java.

jre-6u45-windows-x64  (64 bit version)

jre-6u45-windows-i586 (32 bit version)

 

To downgrade Java on a Mac is a bit more complicated:

First off there are two different builds for Java going on for Macs.  One is maintained by Apple and is handled through Apple Software updates.  The Apple managed version of Java is still running Version 6 and so if you have Java because Apple installed it on your machine you do not need to do anything.

Interesting that Apple is still releasing updates of Java based on the version 6 source code, hmm perhaps more stable and functional.

If you downloaded Java from Java.com and are now running Java 7 on a Mac to downgrade you need to:

(From http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5559??)

Note: You must be logged in as an administrator. If prompted for your administrator password after a command, enter it and then press the Return or Enter key.

1. Open Terminal, located in the Utilities folder.
2. Enter this command, then press the Return or Enter key:

   sudo mkdir -p /Library/Internet\ Plug-Ins/disabled

3. Enter this command, then press the Return or Enter key:

   sudo mv /Library/Internet\ Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin /Library/Internet\ Plug-Ins/disabled

4. Enter this command, then press the Return or Enter key:

   sudo ln -sf /System/Library/Java/Support/Deploy.bundle/Contents/Resources/JavaPlugin2_NPAPI.plugin /Library/Internet\ Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin

5. To re-enable Java SE 6 Web Start, enter this command, then press the Return or Enter key:

   sudo ln -sf /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Commands/javaws /usr/bin/javaws